![[identity profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/openid.png){kind=small}
etapa.livejournal.com posting in ![[community profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/community.png){kind=small}
ship_manifestoAuthor: ![[livejournal.com profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/external/lj-userinfo.gif)
etapa
Fandom: Tokusou Sentai Dekaranger
Pairing: Tomasu 'Hoji' Houji/Reimon 'Jasmine' Marika
Disclaimer: Tokusou Sentai Dekaranger does NOT belong to me.
Spoilers: Everything, to be safe.
Note: Please remember that some of the writing voices my personal opinion.
Special Thanks: Tomariko_azrael and lkwreader for taking their time, despite their busy schedules, to beta-read the essay and give me some very helpful feedback. This manifesto wouldn't have been the same without their help. To etcetera_kit, capncosmo, lkwreader, metaclipse07 and everyone else who have written for this pairing. To amazonstorm, because thanks to her I had found fanwork on this pairing for the first time; it's safe to say that had it not been for her, who knows where I'd be standing today with this pairing. Last but certainly not least, to TV-Nihon for subbing the series, therefore giving me access to this lovely show.
What is the story about?
Tokusou Sentai Dekaranger is part of the Super Sentai series, and aired from 2004 to the early 2005. Super Sentai is a popular kids’ show in Japan which involves a team of three or five heroes in colored outfits (red, green/black, blue, yellow, and pink/white) who fight evil forces to protect peace on Earth. Officially beginning from '92, a "sixth member" would join the team of heroes as the series would go on. Themes vary every year but the formula has been pretty much the same, and it's been going on strong and steady for over thirty years. Dekaranger was its 28th season, and part of its footage was used for the production of Power Rangers SPD in 2005.
In Dekaranger, most aliens live peacefully with our people on Earth. But not all aliens are interested in doing so, choosing to follow a criminal path instead. When a crime involves this specific group of outlaws, better known as "Alienizers", a special team of the law enforcement, the SPD (Special Police Dekaranger) of the Space Police, comes into picture.
The Space Police has several branches spread over the galaxies, including Earth. The Earth Branch is lead by veteran officer Doggie 'Boss' Kruger (DekaMaster since Episode 13), with Swan Shiratori (DekaSwan in Episode 36) who designs and takes care of the machinery. The field team is initially formed by Tomasu ‘Hoji’ Houji (DekaBlue), Enari ‘Sen-chan’ Senichi (DekaGreen), Reimon ‘Jasmine’ Marika (DekaYellow) and Kodou ‘Umeko’ Koume (DekaPink), with Akaza ‘Ban’ Banban (DekaRed) joining them in the pilot episode, and elite officer Aira ‘Tetsu’ Tekkan (DekaBreak) in Episode 22. Together, they fight against the Alienizers to stop their spree of crimes, protecting the safety of every citizen and residents of our planet by keeping them off our streets.
Who are the characters?
Hoji/DekaBlue
Name: Tomasu Houji. Codename: Hoji.
Among the six members of the team, Hoji was probably the first to join Earth Branch of the Space Police, since he is the one in charge when Boss and Swan-san are absent. He likes to blurt out phrases in English, his usual catchphrase being "Super Cool" or "Perfect"; when amazed (or dumbfounded), he tends to say "Unbelievable".
An expert with computers and a highly skilled sniper, Hoji is the most professional member of the team, sometimes almost to a fault. He can be slightly arrogant about his skills, and it takes some knocking down for him to realize that not everything can be perfect. When he had failed in a mission during Episode 3, he fell into such a depression that he began to doubt his abilities in the following episode, and it took some kicking from Ban, literally, for him to come to his senses. In Episode 19, he was without back-up when he was taking an Alienizer to a cell, thinking that he had it under control; that gave an opening to the criminal, who switched bodies with Hoji and almost succeeded in causing a major destruction by taking over the controls of the DekaBase.
To him, his duty as a Space Police officer will always come first, and pretty much everything else will come second, no matter how much he cares about the so-said "second". As a Deka, he had to delete his former best friend who had turned into an assassin in Episode 11, and the younger brother of Teresa, an alien woman he had fallen in love with during Episode 37. Also, in Episode 42, he almost missed a dinner with Miwa, his little sister, and the family of her fiancé because he was on duty (even though he did want to be there), and he would probably have missed his sister's wedding altogether thanks to a dangerous mission he was in during Episode 43.
Perhaps because of his professionalism, he comes off as a very closed off individual, always way too wrapped up in work. If someone wants his friendship, sometimes they have to work really hard to earn it. For instance, Hoji's first impression on Ban, who was literally his exact opposite, was less than ideal. He hated his "act-first-talk-later" attitude, and was further irritated by Ban insisting on calling him "partner". Eventually, however, Ban earned Hoji's friendship, and even though they constantly bickered throughout the series, it was obvious that they cared about each other. It took a year, but finally Ban got to hear Hoji call him "partner". And while Hoji has never said it out loud in front of Ban, he has admitted, at least twice, that he admires him.
Hoji patrols on the Machine Husky, and pilots the PatGyrer and the PAT Wing #2. His weapon is the D-Sniper, a combination of the D-Knuckle with the D-Rod, which can also be used for his attack known as "Blue Finish". His number is two.
Jasmine/DekaYellow
Name: Reimon Marika. Codename: Jasmine.
With Hoji, Jasmine is one of the members who have been in the Earth Branch of the Space Police the longest. Being an ESPer, she has the psychic abilities which allow her to gather sense impressions by touching an object that has had contact with someone. She wears gloves to avoid unnecessary use of her power, that way she won't touch anything directly.
She is known to her teammates as a calm and collected individual. Her past, however, was very different. During her earlier years she had a difficult time in dealing with her powers, and there were times in which her powers would spike, overwhelming her with the thoughts of everyone surrounding her. People turning their backs on her didn't help much, and she reached her breaking point when one of those days, she heard the thoughts of her then best friend, who secretly thought of her as a freak, like everyone else did. By this point she had pretty much given up on her life, so when she was caught by an Alienizer, she decided to let him kill her. She was saved by Boss, probably the first one who had ever shown her genuine concern. Finally finding hope, she joined the Space Police and eventually became a Dekaranger of the Earth Branch. In Episode 21, however, she almost broke apart again after meeting Succubus, one of the Hell Siblings. The Alienizer took an interest in her and promised to spare Earth if the ESPer joined her; Jasmine almost took up the offer after everyone being nearly killed. Ban, refusing to give up, encouraged her with his own belief that justice would prevail, and his words ultimately gave back her will to fight back.
She's also compassionate and caring. Never forgetting her past, in Episodes 7-8 she sought after Hikaru, an ESPer boy who, like her in the past, was rejected by everyone around him. He was bitter against Earth and wished to leave the planet, and an Alienizer was using this to his advantage. Jasmine showed Hikaru that there were people on Earth that cared, and he didn't have to be alone. In Episode 27, she was accidentally shot by Niwande, preventing him from becoming a murderer. He was aiming at a criminal whom he had once considered his "little brother" but had turned into a killer; blaming himself, he was planning on killing him and then himself. Jasmine saw through it and stopped him. She met in Episode 35 a veteran detective, who was avenging his deceased daughter by killing the murderers himself. Jasmine, who resembled the detective's late daughter, was able to get through him and put a stop to the killing spree.
Jasmine patrols with Ban on the Machine Doberman, and pilots the PatArmor and PAT Wing #4. She's frequently a combi (pairs up) with Umeko, with whom shares a tight friendship and forms the duo named "Twin Cam Angels". Her weapon is the D-Shot, a combination of the D-Stick with the D-Knuckle. Her number is four.
What is their story?
The history between the two characters begins way before the actual timeline of the pilot episode. Yes, save for Ban (DekaRed) and Tetsu (DekaBreak), everyone already worked together by the pilot episode and definitely knew each other. However, Hoji and Jasmine are the ones that had known each other the longest. These two were the first members of Dekaranger that are originally from Earth, their seniors being all aliens. While it is not explicitly mentioned that Sen-chan (DekaGreen) joined the Space Police after Hoji and Jasmine, it is not impossible to deduce that it is most likely the case, as he was a combi with the most senior member of the team, Leon Seijin Gyoku Rou, the original DekaRed.
In the early days of the Earth Branch of the Space Police, Hoji and Jasmine were always working as a combi. Back in those days they did not have the Deka suits yet, and given that these two were still rookies and therefore inexperient, these two would probably have been exposed to danger if dealing with a more difficult criminal.
Unfortunately for them, they would come to learn this in the hardest way possible, in the form of Dynamo Seijin Terii-X, an Alienizer responsible for the multiple murders of ESPers by transforming them into plasma batteries. As they were investigating the case, Hoji and Jasmine fell into the Alienizer's trap and were captured. Being herself an ESPer, Jasmine would have become Terii-X's next victim had it not been for Gyoku Rou, who had arrived just in time to rescue her and Hoji. A seasoned veteran of the Space Police, "a reflection of the Space Police itself", as Sen-chan would put it, Gyoku-san quickly defeated Terii-X. Unfortunately, the fight resulted in setting fire on the explosives that were in the place, causing a terrible explosion. Gyoku-san protected Hoji and Jasmine from the explosion by shielding them with his body, but got severely injured in the process. Hoji and Jasmine could only watch it helplessly.
The incident cost Gyoku-san his career, as his injury forced him to withdraw from the Earth branch. No one had heard from him again since then. Hoji and Jasmine blamed themselves for what happened, believing to be the cause of destroying Gyoku-san's future; the events of that day hurt both of them pretty deeply, and the pain stayed with them for a long time.
By the time of the pilot episode, Hoji and Jasmine are no longer working as a combi (Umeko (DekaPink), the fourth member to join, had once pointed out that it's rare to see those two in a combi, meaning that by the time she joined, they weren't working much as a combi anymore), and they pretty much patrol on their own, at least until Ban joins and is paired up with Jasmine for patrolling. Even though no longer a combi, the two seem to maintain a comfortable relationship throughout the story.
Then, in Episode 47, they work as a combi again when Terii-X, who was thought to be dead, strikes again. Initially, nearly blinded by rage and the want to get revenge for Gyoku-san, Hoji and Jasmine, who are usually known to be the cool-headed members of their team, let the emotions get the best of them, resulting in them forgetting about teamwork and fighting in a very sloppy manner, something out-of-character for those two (Jasmine, in fact, hit Hoji with her D-Shot at some point during the first fight).
Learning the truth behind their unusual behavior, Ban searches for Hoji and Jasmine. In the meanwhile, Jasmine is confiding in Hoji that she still has dreams about that day. Unaware that Ban has found them and is eavesdropping, she comments on how Gyoku-san, despite being so strict, genuinely cared for them. Hoji talks about how they had tried to contact him, to no avail. He's sure that their former leader hates them, and when Jasmine says she misses him, he questions how they could ever face him knowing that Terii-X is alive. They both agree that this time, they will surely delete the Alienizer, even if it means them dying in the process.
Ban, worried about them, sets to find out where Gyoku-san is, and once he does, he brings the former DekaRed, who knocks some sense into those two. Hoji and Jasmine finally snap out of it and remember what they are about: they fight with burning hearts, but should always keep a calm composure, be cool-headed. Once back to their normal selves, the two defeat Terii-X, and the Dekaranger team at last delete the Alienizer with DekaWing Cannon.
It turns out that Gyoku-san had been on a secret mission all this time, which explains why he had not contacted anyone until Ban found him. The secret mission was about a new team called Fire Squad, an elite group of extremely talented individuals of the Space Police. Ban is eventually transferred to this team, as Gyoku-san was impressed with the second DekaRed and requested to take him.
After Ban's transfer, Hoji and Jasmine continue to work normally as Space Police officers in the Earth Branch with the others. They are seen again one year later, during their team-up with the Magiranger team; while their interaction isn't shown much, once again it's evident that they keep a friendly relationship, when Hoji is seen giving Jasmine a compliment.
Why do I like them?
The first time I had ever had contact with Super Sentai was way back in the early nineties. My home country had, back then, imported four seasons from the franchise. However, after the fourth one, they stopped importing Sentai, and about one or two years later, they began to import Power Rangers instead. At the time I hadn't realized that they used footage from Sentai, and I got into Power Rangers for a while, finally stopping to follow by the time they aired Power Rangers in Space. I'd hear about it once in a while, but I didn't bother to learn more. It wasn't until Power Rangers Ninja Storm that I began to sort of follow the series again, and officially returned to the fandom with Power Rangers SPD. It was shortly before I got into SPD that I finally learned about the connection between Power Rangers and Sentai. Some time later, with the phenomenon of YouTube, I finally decided to look for Sentai episodes to watch, and given the fact that I was into SPD back then, the choice was, obviously, Dekaranger. It was my comeback to the fandom of Super Sentai, over ten years later.
As for the Hoji/Jasmine pairing, I'll be honest. The first thing that called my attention to this pairing was the fact that they were two very good-looking people who looked great side-by-side. As shallow as this might sound, it is true and I won't deny it. However, if all it would take were the looks, I could have easily fallen head over heels for some other pairings out there.
If the only thing that I liked about this pairing were indeed the fact that they look pretty together, I strongly believe that eventually I would have completely lost my interest in them, especially given the fact that this pairing is far from being an obvious one in the show. But through watching the episodes of the series, learning about each character and seeing their interaction overall, ultimately I decided that I couldn't not love the idea of them together. I see these two as a pairing that makes sense with near perfection, as they complement each other in both what they need and what they have in common. And all this comes in a quiet, almost subtle way.
I'll start with Hoji. As mentioned before, duty always comes first for him. He'll always be a Deka first, and his personal life will come second. Because of this, Hoji needs someone who can not only fully accept him, but will also never hold him back. Even if his short-lived relationship with Teresa had not ended the way they actually did back in Episode 37, my belief is that sooner or later, Hoji would still have had to choose between being her boyfriend and being a Deka. I don't think their relationship would have lasted, because Hoji will always be a Deka first and eventually, this would have come in between them.
With Jasmine, the situation changes. She's a Deka like Hoji, and the Space Police has pretty much been her family from the day she joined, basically making the Space Police her life. She would not only not hold back Hoji, but she would be in it with him. Also, if there is anyone out there who will accept someone for exactly what they are, it's Jasmine. In Episode 17, when Umeko was trying to act like her because everyone looked up to her, Jasmine pointed out that she looked up to Umeko, for what she was and not something else. And I believe that her past has very likely made her someone who is far more accepting of people for what they are and doesn't try to change them.
As for Jasmine herself, I don't think she could be with just anyone, at least considering her past. When she was younger, everyone including her own parents saw her as a freak. She couldn't trust people, and the one person she did trust, the person she had thought to be her only friend, betrayed her, severing badly her already damaged trust in people. Her encounter with Boss had finally shown her that there were people out there who truly cared and didn't judge, but I believe that still, she didn't quite trust just any person that easily. She had been rejected and talked behind her back for years; she must have had trust issues for a while.
I believe that Hoji was the first Earth person that Jasmine came to trust. In Episode 8, Hoji says that, with an ESPer in their team, they can't lose, showing that he not only accepts her, but sees her abilities as a gift. It'd not be a stretch to say that Hoji must have been the first person from Earth to genuinely accept Jasmine for who she was. Jasmine hadn’t known anyone from Earth that wouldn’t fear her or be repulsed by her, until she met Hoji. If Boss was the first to give her the hope that she didn't have to be alone, Hoji was the one who gave her that same hope with the people from her home planet. This certainly must have eventually led her to trust him, and from there, to learn to trust her people once again. Based on this, if there's anyone that Jasmine could be with, Hoji is certainly one of them.
Added to acceptance and trust, what further strengthens their compatibility are the common factors that they share. For instance, both Hoji and Jasmine are considered the "cool ones". They are not any less passionate than the others when it comes to fighting against criminals. At the same time, however, they are usually the ones who always have a calm and collected composure in their line of work, and as shown in Episodes 3 and 17, both tend to carefully plan their moves before acting. As trained by Gyoku-san, their hearts are always burning for justice, yet they usually maintain their coolness.
Another similarity is their professionalism. To Hoji, his duty as a Deka comes before almost anything, including his former best friend, the woman he was in love with, or even his sister's wedding. He deleted his former best friend turned assassin and his girlfriend's little brother (who was murdering young women in order to save his sister's life), and would never have had the chance to be at his sister's wedding had it not been for Ban, who sent Hoji back to Earth and went to take care of the meteor himself. The only time he had failed to let duty come first was in Episode 48, when Ban's body was under control of an Alienizer and the only way out was to stop DekaRed's heart, but that was a very different case and I will not go into details here. The point is, Hoji will always be a Deka first, and that is something that has always been emphasized in the story. But while Hoji is the one best known for always (or almost always) putting duty first, I believe that Jasmine is not that far behind him. Episode 17, for example, when Umeko was imitating Jasmine, while it was a strange sight, it clearly shows how Jasmine is seen by her teammates; an all-business and no-nonsense person, someone whom everyone respects and knows they can rely on when they need it most.
There was a time that I admittedly wished that Hoji and Jasmine had been a more obvious pairing on the show, that there had been anything that would give me a clear indication of it. This had made me take a closer look at their relationship when I watched this show. Thanks to that and something that a friend once told me, I found that some of the best moments of a relationship are not necessarily seen in an interaction during the show, but rather, behind the scenes.
Being the first two Earth Dekas, Hoji and Jasmine had a connection sooner than anyone else. During the tough moments in the earlier times, they pretty much had each other only. Of course, they had Boss, Swan-san and Gyoku-san, but before Sen-chan came along, they were the only ones in the field team from Earth. So that was a kind of a connection that probably couldn't be shared on the same level with their superiors, not like they could with each other. They were further bound through their encounter with Terii-X, first by the same pain of seeing their superior lose his career, and later by their same wish to avenge him.
I believe that this connection, born from the early years and the tragedy of a case gone bad, have taken their relationship to such a degree that they have passed all those initial stages that we would see on the early days of a relationship. By now, I think they have reached pretty much the closest to the highest possible level in a relationship, where two people know each other pretty well, are comfortable around each other, and accept each other for what they are, flaws and all. Hoji and Jasmine certainly know each other well, as Jasmine showed in Episode 4 when she pointed out that the usual Hoji would have solved the problem at their hands by the time she was still speaking. Throughout the show, they certainly seem to have that sense of ease around each other. Finally, they do accept each other for who they are.
Based on all this, now I can't help but think that perhaps, if they had indeed made Hoji and Jasmine an obvious couple, this pairing wouldn't have been nearly as interesting. These two have pretty much everything that would make a romantic relationship be perfect. Maybe too perfect. And once something becomes too perfect, it can easily lose the appeal. Don't get me wrong, of course I like things to be perfect. But when it comes to romances in fandom, perfection doesn't always equal fun. The best pairings to be played with in fandom, in my personal opinion, are those that are either in the starting and building up process, with all the tension going on, or those that are extremely subtle, opening the possibilities for exploring. I think I could say that Hoji and Jasmine fall to the latter category.
So now, I'm fine with their relationship being as it is. This opens up ways for me to explore this pairing as much as I want, and as I see fit. Being a pairing that makes so much sense, and the possibilities being so open, Hoji/Jasmine is a pairing that I can't help but be continuously attracted to, an OTP among OTPs.
Where can I find more?
The Super Sentai fandom alone is a small one compared to others, so the Dekaranger fandom is even smaller. Imagine for the pairing.
Fortunately, there are definitely a few links and some fanwork one might be interested in checking out.
General
TV-Nihon: Here you can download fansubs of the series, and also the movies, including the special DekaRed vs. DekaBreak.
![[livejournal.com profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/external/lj-community.gif)
finalauraburst: A Tokusatsu Newsletter. A good place to start looking for links for Sentai LJ communities, fanfics, fanarts, discussion and fansubs, including Dekaranger.
RangerBoard: A forum primarily dedicated to Power Rangers, but it also has threads dedicated for Super Sentai.
Wikipedia: Here you can find the article about the show, helping you to learn more about the story and the characters.
Fanfiction
Standing by Etcetera Kit. Rated T (PG-13).
Watching Over by capncosmo. Rated K (G).
The Thinnest Hint of Peace by capncosmo. Rated K+ (PG).
Rain by amazonstorm. Unrated. - This was the first Hoji/Jasmine fanfic I ever read, so this one has a special place in my little fannish heart.
Starting off with a Bang by lkwreader. Rated K (G).
Coffee-Flavored Kisses by Etcetera Kit. Rated T (PG-13). - Note: This one is actually a Sen-chan/Umeko story, but I decided to add the link because Hoji and Jasmine get a mention. While really short, I think it described nicely a possible kind of relationship I see for this pairing.
From Etapa's Personal Collection:
Santa Wears Blue. Rated G (K).
Love Makes Us Stronger. Rated K+ (PG).
etapaFandom: Tokusou Sentai Dekaranger
Pairing: Tomasu 'Hoji' Houji/Reimon 'Jasmine' Marika
Disclaimer: Tokusou Sentai Dekaranger does NOT belong to me.
Spoilers: Everything, to be safe.
Note: Please remember that some of the writing voices my personal opinion.
Special Thanks: To
mariko_azrael and lkwreader for taking their time, despite their busy schedules, to beta-read the essay and give me some very helpful feedback. This manifesto wouldn't have been the same without their help. To etcetera_kit, capncosmo, lkwreader, metaclipse07 and everyone else who have written for this pairing. To amazonstorm, because thanks to her I had found fanwork on this pairing for the first time; it's safe to say that had it not been for her, who knows where I'd be standing today with this pairing. Last but certainly not least, to TV-Nihon for subbing the series, therefore giving me access to this lovely show.What is the story about?
Tokusou Sentai Dekaranger is part of the Super Sentai series, and aired from 2004 to the early 2005. Super Sentai is a popular kids’ show in Japan which involves a team of three or five heroes in colored outfits (red, green/black, blue, yellow, and pink/white) who fight evil forces to protect peace on Earth. Officially beginning from '92, a "sixth member" would join the team of heroes as the series would go on. Themes vary every year but the formula has been pretty much the same, and it's been going on strong and steady for over thirty years. Dekaranger was its 28th season, and part of its footage was used for the production of Power Rangers SPD in 2005.
In Dekaranger, most aliens live peacefully with our people on Earth. But not all aliens are interested in doing so, choosing to follow a criminal path instead. When a crime involves this specific group of outlaws, better known as "Alienizers", a special team of the law enforcement, the SPD (Special Police Dekaranger) of the Space Police, comes into picture.
The Space Police has several branches spread over the galaxies, including Earth. The Earth Branch is lead by veteran officer Doggie 'Boss' Kruger (DekaMaster since Episode 13), with Swan Shiratori (DekaSwan in Episode 36) who designs and takes care of the machinery. The field team is initially formed by Tomasu ‘Hoji’ Houji (DekaBlue), Enari ‘Sen-chan’ Senichi (DekaGreen), Reimon ‘Jasmine’ Marika (DekaYellow) and Kodou ‘Umeko’ Koume (DekaPink), with Akaza ‘Ban’ Banban (DekaRed) joining them in the pilot episode, and elite officer Aira ‘Tetsu’ Tekkan (DekaBreak) in Episode 22. Together, they fight against the Alienizers to stop their spree of crimes, protecting the safety of every citizen and residents of our planet by keeping them off our streets.
Who are the characters?
Hoji/DekaBlue
Name: Tomasu Houji. Codename: Hoji.
Among the six members of the team, Hoji was probably the first to join Earth Branch of the Space Police, since he is the one in charge when Boss and Swan-san are absent. He likes to blurt out phrases in English, his usual catchphrase being "Super Cool" or "Perfect"; when amazed (or dumbfounded), he tends to say "Unbelievable".
An expert with computers and a highly skilled sniper, Hoji is the most professional member of the team, sometimes almost to a fault. He can be slightly arrogant about his skills, and it takes some knocking down for him to realize that not everything can be perfect. When he had failed in a mission during Episode 3, he fell into such a depression that he began to doubt his abilities in the following episode, and it took some kicking from Ban, literally, for him to come to his senses. In Episode 19, he was without back-up when he was taking an Alienizer to a cell, thinking that he had it under control; that gave an opening to the criminal, who switched bodies with Hoji and almost succeeded in causing a major destruction by taking over the controls of the DekaBase.
To him, his duty as a Space Police officer will always come first, and pretty much everything else will come second, no matter how much he cares about the so-said "second". As a Deka, he had to delete his former best friend who had turned into an assassin in Episode 11, and the younger brother of Teresa, an alien woman he had fallen in love with during Episode 37. Also, in Episode 42, he almost missed a dinner with Miwa, his little sister, and the family of her fiancé because he was on duty (even though he did want to be there), and he would probably have missed his sister's wedding altogether thanks to a dangerous mission he was in during Episode 43.
Perhaps because of his professionalism, he comes off as a very closed off individual, always way too wrapped up in work. If someone wants his friendship, sometimes they have to work really hard to earn it. For instance, Hoji's first impression on Ban, who was literally his exact opposite, was less than ideal. He hated his "act-first-talk-later" attitude, and was further irritated by Ban insisting on calling him "partner". Eventually, however, Ban earned Hoji's friendship, and even though they constantly bickered throughout the series, it was obvious that they cared about each other. It took a year, but finally Ban got to hear Hoji call him "partner". And while Hoji has never said it out loud in front of Ban, he has admitted, at least twice, that he admires him.
Hoji patrols on the Machine Husky, and pilots the PatGyrer and the PAT Wing #2. His weapon is the D-Sniper, a combination of the D-Knuckle with the D-Rod, which can also be used for his attack known as "Blue Finish". His number is two.
Jasmine/DekaYellow
Name: Reimon Marika. Codename: Jasmine.
With Hoji, Jasmine is one of the members who have been in the Earth Branch of the Space Police the longest. Being an ESPer, she has the psychic abilities which allow her to gather sense impressions by touching an object that has had contact with someone. She wears gloves to avoid unnecessary use of her power, that way she won't touch anything directly.
She is known to her teammates as a calm and collected individual. Her past, however, was very different. During her earlier years she had a difficult time in dealing with her powers, and there were times in which her powers would spike, overwhelming her with the thoughts of everyone surrounding her. People turning their backs on her didn't help much, and she reached her breaking point when one of those days, she heard the thoughts of her then best friend, who secretly thought of her as a freak, like everyone else did. By this point she had pretty much given up on her life, so when she was caught by an Alienizer, she decided to let him kill her. She was saved by Boss, probably the first one who had ever shown her genuine concern. Finally finding hope, she joined the Space Police and eventually became a Dekaranger of the Earth Branch. In Episode 21, however, she almost broke apart again after meeting Succubus, one of the Hell Siblings. The Alienizer took an interest in her and promised to spare Earth if the ESPer joined her; Jasmine almost took up the offer after everyone being nearly killed. Ban, refusing to give up, encouraged her with his own belief that justice would prevail, and his words ultimately gave back her will to fight back.
She's also compassionate and caring. Never forgetting her past, in Episodes 7-8 she sought after Hikaru, an ESPer boy who, like her in the past, was rejected by everyone around him. He was bitter against Earth and wished to leave the planet, and an Alienizer was using this to his advantage. Jasmine showed Hikaru that there were people on Earth that cared, and he didn't have to be alone. In Episode 27, she was accidentally shot by Niwande, preventing him from becoming a murderer. He was aiming at a criminal whom he had once considered his "little brother" but had turned into a killer; blaming himself, he was planning on killing him and then himself. Jasmine saw through it and stopped him. She met in Episode 35 a veteran detective, who was avenging his deceased daughter by killing the murderers himself. Jasmine, who resembled the detective's late daughter, was able to get through him and put a stop to the killing spree.
Jasmine patrols with Ban on the Machine Doberman, and pilots the PatArmor and PAT Wing #4. She's frequently a combi (pairs up) with Umeko, with whom shares a tight friendship and forms the duo named "Twin Cam Angels". Her weapon is the D-Shot, a combination of the D-Stick with the D-Knuckle. Her number is four.
What is their story?
The history between the two characters begins way before the actual timeline of the pilot episode. Yes, save for Ban (DekaRed) and Tetsu (DekaBreak), everyone already worked together by the pilot episode and definitely knew each other. However, Hoji and Jasmine are the ones that had known each other the longest. These two were the first members of Dekaranger that are originally from Earth, their seniors being all aliens. While it is not explicitly mentioned that Sen-chan (DekaGreen) joined the Space Police after Hoji and Jasmine, it is not impossible to deduce that it is most likely the case, as he was a combi with the most senior member of the team, Leon Seijin Gyoku Rou, the original DekaRed.
In the early days of the Earth Branch of the Space Police, Hoji and Jasmine were always working as a combi. Back in those days they did not have the Deka suits yet, and given that these two were still rookies and therefore inexperient, these two would probably have been exposed to danger if dealing with a more difficult criminal.
Unfortunately for them, they would come to learn this in the hardest way possible, in the form of Dynamo Seijin Terii-X, an Alienizer responsible for the multiple murders of ESPers by transforming them into plasma batteries. As they were investigating the case, Hoji and Jasmine fell into the Alienizer's trap and were captured. Being herself an ESPer, Jasmine would have become Terii-X's next victim had it not been for Gyoku Rou, who had arrived just in time to rescue her and Hoji. A seasoned veteran of the Space Police, "a reflection of the Space Police itself", as Sen-chan would put it, Gyoku-san quickly defeated Terii-X. Unfortunately, the fight resulted in setting fire on the explosives that were in the place, causing a terrible explosion. Gyoku-san protected Hoji and Jasmine from the explosion by shielding them with his body, but got severely injured in the process. Hoji and Jasmine could only watch it helplessly.
The incident cost Gyoku-san his career, as his injury forced him to withdraw from the Earth branch. No one had heard from him again since then. Hoji and Jasmine blamed themselves for what happened, believing to be the cause of destroying Gyoku-san's future; the events of that day hurt both of them pretty deeply, and the pain stayed with them for a long time.
By the time of the pilot episode, Hoji and Jasmine are no longer working as a combi (Umeko (DekaPink), the fourth member to join, had once pointed out that it's rare to see those two in a combi, meaning that by the time she joined, they weren't working much as a combi anymore), and they pretty much patrol on their own, at least until Ban joins and is paired up with Jasmine for patrolling. Even though no longer a combi, the two seem to maintain a comfortable relationship throughout the story.
Then, in Episode 47, they work as a combi again when Terii-X, who was thought to be dead, strikes again. Initially, nearly blinded by rage and the want to get revenge for Gyoku-san, Hoji and Jasmine, who are usually known to be the cool-headed members of their team, let the emotions get the best of them, resulting in them forgetting about teamwork and fighting in a very sloppy manner, something out-of-character for those two (Jasmine, in fact, hit Hoji with her D-Shot at some point during the first fight).
Learning the truth behind their unusual behavior, Ban searches for Hoji and Jasmine. In the meanwhile, Jasmine is confiding in Hoji that she still has dreams about that day. Unaware that Ban has found them and is eavesdropping, she comments on how Gyoku-san, despite being so strict, genuinely cared for them. Hoji talks about how they had tried to contact him, to no avail. He's sure that their former leader hates them, and when Jasmine says she misses him, he questions how they could ever face him knowing that Terii-X is alive. They both agree that this time, they will surely delete the Alienizer, even if it means them dying in the process.
Ban, worried about them, sets to find out where Gyoku-san is, and once he does, he brings the former DekaRed, who knocks some sense into those two. Hoji and Jasmine finally snap out of it and remember what they are about: they fight with burning hearts, but should always keep a calm composure, be cool-headed. Once back to their normal selves, the two defeat Terii-X, and the Dekaranger team at last delete the Alienizer with DekaWing Cannon.
It turns out that Gyoku-san had been on a secret mission all this time, which explains why he had not contacted anyone until Ban found him. The secret mission was about a new team called Fire Squad, an elite group of extremely talented individuals of the Space Police. Ban is eventually transferred to this team, as Gyoku-san was impressed with the second DekaRed and requested to take him.
After Ban's transfer, Hoji and Jasmine continue to work normally as Space Police officers in the Earth Branch with the others. They are seen again one year later, during their team-up with the Magiranger team; while their interaction isn't shown much, once again it's evident that they keep a friendly relationship, when Hoji is seen giving Jasmine a compliment.
Why do I like them?
The first time I had ever had contact with Super Sentai was way back in the early nineties. My home country had, back then, imported four seasons from the franchise. However, after the fourth one, they stopped importing Sentai, and about one or two years later, they began to import Power Rangers instead. At the time I hadn't realized that they used footage from Sentai, and I got into Power Rangers for a while, finally stopping to follow by the time they aired Power Rangers in Space. I'd hear about it once in a while, but I didn't bother to learn more. It wasn't until Power Rangers Ninja Storm that I began to sort of follow the series again, and officially returned to the fandom with Power Rangers SPD. It was shortly before I got into SPD that I finally learned about the connection between Power Rangers and Sentai. Some time later, with the phenomenon of YouTube, I finally decided to look for Sentai episodes to watch, and given the fact that I was into SPD back then, the choice was, obviously, Dekaranger. It was my comeback to the fandom of Super Sentai, over ten years later.
As for the Hoji/Jasmine pairing, I'll be honest. The first thing that called my attention to this pairing was the fact that they were two very good-looking people who looked great side-by-side. As shallow as this might sound, it is true and I won't deny it. However, if all it would take were the looks, I could have easily fallen head over heels for some other pairings out there.
If the only thing that I liked about this pairing were indeed the fact that they look pretty together, I strongly believe that eventually I would have completely lost my interest in them, especially given the fact that this pairing is far from being an obvious one in the show. But through watching the episodes of the series, learning about each character and seeing their interaction overall, ultimately I decided that I couldn't not love the idea of them together. I see these two as a pairing that makes sense with near perfection, as they complement each other in both what they need and what they have in common. And all this comes in a quiet, almost subtle way.
I'll start with Hoji. As mentioned before, duty always comes first for him. He'll always be a Deka first, and his personal life will come second. Because of this, Hoji needs someone who can not only fully accept him, but will also never hold him back. Even if his short-lived relationship with Teresa had not ended the way they actually did back in Episode 37, my belief is that sooner or later, Hoji would still have had to choose between being her boyfriend and being a Deka. I don't think their relationship would have lasted, because Hoji will always be a Deka first and eventually, this would have come in between them.
With Jasmine, the situation changes. She's a Deka like Hoji, and the Space Police has pretty much been her family from the day she joined, basically making the Space Police her life. She would not only not hold back Hoji, but she would be in it with him. Also, if there is anyone out there who will accept someone for exactly what they are, it's Jasmine. In Episode 17, when Umeko was trying to act like her because everyone looked up to her, Jasmine pointed out that she looked up to Umeko, for what she was and not something else. And I believe that her past has very likely made her someone who is far more accepting of people for what they are and doesn't try to change them.
As for Jasmine herself, I don't think she could be with just anyone, at least considering her past. When she was younger, everyone including her own parents saw her as a freak. She couldn't trust people, and the one person she did trust, the person she had thought to be her only friend, betrayed her, severing badly her already damaged trust in people. Her encounter with Boss had finally shown her that there were people out there who truly cared and didn't judge, but I believe that still, she didn't quite trust just any person that easily. She had been rejected and talked behind her back for years; she must have had trust issues for a while.
I believe that Hoji was the first Earth person that Jasmine came to trust. In Episode 8, Hoji says that, with an ESPer in their team, they can't lose, showing that he not only accepts her, but sees her abilities as a gift. It'd not be a stretch to say that Hoji must have been the first person from Earth to genuinely accept Jasmine for who she was. Jasmine hadn’t known anyone from Earth that wouldn’t fear her or be repulsed by her, until she met Hoji. If Boss was the first to give her the hope that she didn't have to be alone, Hoji was the one who gave her that same hope with the people from her home planet. This certainly must have eventually led her to trust him, and from there, to learn to trust her people once again. Based on this, if there's anyone that Jasmine could be with, Hoji is certainly one of them.
Added to acceptance and trust, what further strengthens their compatibility are the common factors that they share. For instance, both Hoji and Jasmine are considered the "cool ones". They are not any less passionate than the others when it comes to fighting against criminals. At the same time, however, they are usually the ones who always have a calm and collected composure in their line of work, and as shown in Episodes 3 and 17, both tend to carefully plan their moves before acting. As trained by Gyoku-san, their hearts are always burning for justice, yet they usually maintain their coolness.
Another similarity is their professionalism. To Hoji, his duty as a Deka comes before almost anything, including his former best friend, the woman he was in love with, or even his sister's wedding. He deleted his former best friend turned assassin and his girlfriend's little brother (who was murdering young women in order to save his sister's life), and would never have had the chance to be at his sister's wedding had it not been for Ban, who sent Hoji back to Earth and went to take care of the meteor himself. The only time he had failed to let duty come first was in Episode 48, when Ban's body was under control of an Alienizer and the only way out was to stop DekaRed's heart, but that was a very different case and I will not go into details here. The point is, Hoji will always be a Deka first, and that is something that has always been emphasized in the story. But while Hoji is the one best known for always (or almost always) putting duty first, I believe that Jasmine is not that far behind him. Episode 17, for example, when Umeko was imitating Jasmine, while it was a strange sight, it clearly shows how Jasmine is seen by her teammates; an all-business and no-nonsense person, someone whom everyone respects and knows they can rely on when they need it most.
There was a time that I admittedly wished that Hoji and Jasmine had been a more obvious pairing on the show, that there had been anything that would give me a clear indication of it. This had made me take a closer look at their relationship when I watched this show. Thanks to that and something that a friend once told me, I found that some of the best moments of a relationship are not necessarily seen in an interaction during the show, but rather, behind the scenes.
Being the first two Earth Dekas, Hoji and Jasmine had a connection sooner than anyone else. During the tough moments in the earlier times, they pretty much had each other only. Of course, they had Boss, Swan-san and Gyoku-san, but before Sen-chan came along, they were the only ones in the field team from Earth. So that was a kind of a connection that probably couldn't be shared on the same level with their superiors, not like they could with each other. They were further bound through their encounter with Terii-X, first by the same pain of seeing their superior lose his career, and later by their same wish to avenge him.
I believe that this connection, born from the early years and the tragedy of a case gone bad, have taken their relationship to such a degree that they have passed all those initial stages that we would see on the early days of a relationship. By now, I think they have reached pretty much the closest to the highest possible level in a relationship, where two people know each other pretty well, are comfortable around each other, and accept each other for what they are, flaws and all. Hoji and Jasmine certainly know each other well, as Jasmine showed in Episode 4 when she pointed out that the usual Hoji would have solved the problem at their hands by the time she was still speaking. Throughout the show, they certainly seem to have that sense of ease around each other. Finally, they do accept each other for who they are.
Based on all this, now I can't help but think that perhaps, if they had indeed made Hoji and Jasmine an obvious couple, this pairing wouldn't have been nearly as interesting. These two have pretty much everything that would make a romantic relationship be perfect. Maybe too perfect. And once something becomes too perfect, it can easily lose the appeal. Don't get me wrong, of course I like things to be perfect. But when it comes to romances in fandom, perfection doesn't always equal fun. The best pairings to be played with in fandom, in my personal opinion, are those that are either in the starting and building up process, with all the tension going on, or those that are extremely subtle, opening the possibilities for exploring. I think I could say that Hoji and Jasmine fall to the latter category.
So now, I'm fine with their relationship being as it is. This opens up ways for me to explore this pairing as much as I want, and as I see fit. Being a pairing that makes so much sense, and the possibilities being so open, Hoji/Jasmine is a pairing that I can't help but be continuously attracted to, an OTP among OTPs.
Where can I find more?
The Super Sentai fandom alone is a small one compared to others, so the Dekaranger fandom is even smaller. Imagine for the pairing.
Fortunately, there are definitely a few links and some fanwork one might be interested in checking out.
General
TV-Nihon: Here you can download fansubs of the series, and also the movies, including the special DekaRed vs. DekaBreak.
finalauraburst: A Tokusatsu Newsletter. A good place to start looking for links for Sentai LJ communities, fanfics, fanarts, discussion and fansubs, including Dekaranger.RangerBoard: A forum primarily dedicated to Power Rangers, but it also has threads dedicated for Super Sentai.
Wikipedia: Here you can find the article about the show, helping you to learn more about the story and the characters.
Fanfiction
Standing by Etcetera Kit. Rated T (PG-13).
Watching Over by capncosmo. Rated K (G).
The Thinnest Hint of Peace by capncosmo. Rated K+ (PG).
Rain by amazonstorm. Unrated. - This was the first Hoji/Jasmine fanfic I ever read, so this one has a special place in my little fannish heart.
Starting off with a Bang by lkwreader. Rated K (G).
Coffee-Flavored Kisses by Etcetera Kit. Rated T (PG-13). - Note: This one is actually a Sen-chan/Umeko story, but I decided to add the link because Hoji and Jasmine get a mention. While really short, I think it described nicely a possible kind of relationship I see for this pairing.
From Etapa's Personal Collection:
Santa Wears Blue. Rated G (K).
Love Makes Us Stronger. Rated K+ (PG).
![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
no subject
Date: 2007-06-04 12:33 am (UTC)no subject
Date: 2007-06-04 08:10 am (UTC)no subject
Date: 2007-06-04 02:20 am (UTC)no subject
Date: 2007-06-04 08:15 am (UTC)no subject
Date: 2007-06-04 05:06 am (UTC)no subject
Date: 2007-06-04 08:20 am (UTC)no subject
Date: 2007-06-04 08:12 pm (UTC)--Lauren
no subject
Date: 2007-06-06 02:55 am (UTC)So thank you, in more ways that one! :D
no subject
Date: 2007-06-07 03:51 am (UTC)not a problem *hugs*
--Lauren
no subject
Date: 2007-06-07 08:36 am (UTC)no subject
Date: 2007-06-07 06:39 pm (UTC)I still follow some SPD fandom, at least the fics. Unfortunately I wasn't able to catch every single episode, but hoping to catch the rest by YouTube. SPD has a special place in my PR-loving heart, since it's the one that officially brought me back, both to PR and Sentai :) I'm also a huge fan of Sky/Z (despite on the actual show I was a bit more of a Bridge/Z), probably my favorite PR pairing :)
Thanks for taking your time to read and comment :D
no subject
Date: 2007-06-08 09:56 pm (UTC)I've seen a few episodes of Dekaranger, and I agree, Hoji and Jasmine would make a great couple, even though they're not presented in canon as anything other than friends.
I'm not sure I have a favorite Super Sentai pairing, but my absolute favorite Power Rangers pairing is another Blue/Yellow: Billy/Trini. Again, not a canon couple, but those two understand each other so well that if they ended up in a relationship with anyone, it'd be with each other. It seemed like Trini had spent the lion's share of her screen time standing next to Billy, and after she'd left the show, Billy lost a lot of his introversion, as if he'd forced himself to mature so that he wouldn't have to rely on Trini to be his technobabble-to-layman translator. Heck, I'm even gradually exploring that in an AU RPG (http://www.rangertalk.com/showthread.php?t=20905).
no subject
Date: 2007-06-09 12:31 am (UTC)Yep, when I first watched Deka, I had really wished there had been any clear indication that they were more than what was explicitly presented in canon. But now, I actually sort of prefer it the way it is. When a pairing happens in canon, I can either quickly lose interest, or just not bother to explore much. Besides, even back then, I liked to explore the pairing based on what they actually have, the friendship (though way more subtle than the one Hoji has with Ban) and the mutual respect.
Hehe, while admittedly I'm more of a Jason/Trini fan, borrowing someone else's words, I think Billy/Trini was a pairing that sometimes had people almost forgetting that they were actually not a couple (while Hoji and Jasmine were never to that point, I think that the "rationale" behind it fits somewhat... The whole "not together, but makes sense and probably would, if ever given a chance"). And I agree on your points about Billy, he had changed a lot throughout the series, and Trini's leaving has got to have played some part in it. It does leave an interesting topic to be explored, that's for sure.
The RPG sounds interesting, I'll definitely be taking a look.
Once again, thanks for reading and commenting :)
no subject
Date: 2007-07-23 11:08 pm (UTC)Just wanted to drop a note and say that you did a fantastic job with this piece. For a couple that only has one episode that hints at a canon relationship, this was well-done. You picked out what was there and filled in the blanks, showing an absolute love for the pairing while you were at it.
Great, great work! This is why you need to write more fan fiction -- your writing is really strong, and always a good read. :)
no subject
Date: 2007-07-30 07:07 pm (UTC)Thank you so much for reading and commenting! I'm really glad that you approve it. It was challenging, given exactly the fact that there's so little on those two in canon. But I followed your advice, and added to the great help from the betas, I think it worked really well. And yup, it makes a huge difference when we love them, the writing becomes a really fun thing to do. Wish my school assignments had been like that *glares at them* Though admittedly, those lessons were helpful, too -_-
Once again, thank you so much! As for fanfic writing, LOL, who knows. After all, I do have "99" more to write *snorts at herself*
no subject
Date: 2007-08-26 07:26 am (UTC)Loved the title, way to work Hoji's "Cool" in there, plus the theme from their focus episode together late in the series. I thought your description of the show and characters was spot-on and very well-worded.
Liked how thorough your analysis was with Hoji, from his token catch phrases to his focus episodes to his relationship with Ban, which was such an important part of shaping who Hoji was by the end of the series as a ranger. As fas as Jasmine, thought you did a real good job there too, but kinda like how the Hoji's dynamic with Ban shaped who he was by the end of the series, I would have talked more about what Jasmine learned from Umeko's personality and how that impacted how she turned out at the end of the series.
Really solid and thorough recap of the Terri-X ep. and Jasmine and Hoji's history together at the base. Also really loved your explanation for why you shipped this couple, especially when you talked about Hoji being able to be in a relationship with Jasmine and not having to worry about his job holding back his romantic life, as it would have were things more normal with Teresa. And yeah, Hoji and Jasmine totally look gorgeous together. I can't even begin to imagine how beautiful their children would be...
The only thing I would have mayb added is at the end of episode 46 I believe, whichever the big Sen/Umeko one was, Umeko ran away blushing at the end of the episode from Sen, and Jasmine and Hoji exchange this knowing look and smile together as if, yeah, we get what's up. So that showed that Jasmine and Hoji can really read what the other is thinking 'cause they've known each other so long.
Loved the extra info on the couple and stories. I am gonna have to check some more of those out.
Anyway, great job on this manifesto. Your well-thought out ideas, in-depth research and mature writing show how much work you put into this and your love for this couple really shines through.
Any plans for another couples manifesto in the future?
no subject
Date: 2008-03-01 11:05 am (UTC)